Stephanie Bunn

Dr Stephanie Bunn is an Honorary Senior Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews, within the School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies. Her work focuses on the intersections of anthropology, material culture, and embodied knowledge, particularly through crafts like basketry and weaving. She explores how these practices inform education, mathematics, and well-being, with a special interest in cross-disciplinary collaboration and skill transmission.

Her research spans topics such as the origins of geometry in craft practices, multi-species interactions in weaving, and the therapeutic aspects of basket-making. She has supervised PhD candidate Sharonne Specker and authored/co-authored multiple publications, including the book The material culture of basketry: practice, skill and embodied knowledge (2020). Her work often bridges anthropology with mathematics, biology, and pedagogy, emphasizing hands-on, embodied learning processes.

Bunn’s contributions include studies on craft-based education, the role of material practices in conceptual development, and the relationship between traditional crafts and modern scientific understanding. Her research frequently engages with the legacy of Tim Ingold and emphasizes collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches to anthropological inquiry.